Blogs & Ecology

Photo of TVs via Elsie Esq

Just yesterday we half-heartedly gave Sony some props about their new Green Glove television recycling program. Well, turns out the company offers some of the best recycling services around.

Photo: Workers pass buckets of mud and stones at a gold mine in the Ituri region of northeast DRC (Eric Feferberg/AFP/Getty Images)

On America Recycles Day (last Saturday for anyone who missed it), Sony Style launched its Green Glove Service, a program that intends to help keep e-waste out of landfills.

But, as so often happens with do-good programs, it isn’t without a catch. ...

Photo by Phil Romans

The magic elixirs of salt and brine are certainly nothing new, they have been used on our roadways for awhile now. Salt is of course used during the winter in certain areas to clear off roads and provide more traction for drivers. Brine on the other hand is derived from gas and oil wells, and is often used to cut down on dust particulates by spreading on gravel/dirt roads.

Put the salt and brine together, and suddenly you have a mixture which is capable of melting snow with much more efficiency and with less salt, and the reason for this is simple....

Photo by Hamed Saber

At least they could be, if a few high tech companies get their way when it comes to an idea they are working on that will enable vehicles to monitor the roads as they drive over them. These vehicle reports would then be relayed to the proper highway committees, road crews, police units, and ambulance drivers to let them know if there is a pothole that needs fixed, severe weather danger or accident to avoid, or even a pancaked squirrel that needs attention by the highway roadkill unit....

Photo via CES

Consumer electronics present big problems, from producing them with unsustaibable materials, to emissions for manufacturing and using them, to the e-waste and toxic problems they present at the end of their lives.

The Consumer Electronics Association, however, recognizes these issues and is actively working on greening up the industry. They have released the first sustainability report in the industry, and are improving the impact of the Consumer Electronics Show with eco-friendly options.

Photo via Randy Son of Robert

Typically, when we think of our geeky loved ones, we think of all the electronics and computer equipment they have. We also think of their appreciation for clever gadgets. But what about the big environmental impact electronics and gadgets have? Many electronics are made of toxic materials, suck energy like no one’s business, and turn out to be pointless in the long run.

Photo via Agent 18

Protecting your gadgets is a big part of making them last as long as possible and helping to prevent e-waste. Considering the reputation Apple products have for unfixability, keeping them safe is a priority. One of the greener options for your iPhone or iPod Touch is the EcoShield. ...

Photo via HP

Photo via Yanko Design

When it comes to electronics, doing more with less is key to sustainability. Also helpful is ditching plastic gadgets for paper, and DIYing it whenever you can.

A design from Dmitry Zagga, featured over at Yanko Design combines all these essential elements in a great speaker set-up for iPods.

Read on for details and how to do this yourself. ...

We know iPhone apps are pretty dang popular. We also know there are quite a few that help us to go green. Also getting popular are apps for Google's G1 and Android phones. So what are our green options so far?

We found five cool apps that will help Android software users green up their new phone. ...

The ninth wind farm in South Australia just opened on the Barunga Ranges near Snowtown. Its 47 turbines, installed by Trust Power of New Zealand, (who already operate that countries largest wind farm at Tararua), are said to have a capacity to deliver over 98MW. The company reckon this renewable energy should provide sufficient power for 70,000 Australian households.

This little power pack is a fuel cell charging device that offers instant power for your mobile devices while off-grid.

Encapsulating the dream of convenient wireless charging capabilities, the Power Pack wants to be the easy alternative green power source for gadgets.

But does it live up to TreeHugger expectations?...

Photo via compujeramey

It is no secret that Windows Vista has a whole lot of hate aimed at it by its (often unwilling) users. Even "I'm a Mac" commercials put it as the punchline. Windows 7 is Microsoft's answer to the demand for a better operating system, and there is an improvement that makes it way cooler than just a functional version of Vista.